Roll to Me

Chapter 1

"I'll pay you to let me stay home."

"Oh?" Shinobu glanced down at her grumpy nine-year-old who was clutching her frog-shaped pillow like a lifesaver as the pair walked through the train station. Moriko's long wavy black hair was tied back in a braid that brushed her midback. "How much?"

"I'm willing to enter negotiations," Moriko said, lifting her chin, blue eyes determined. "You set the initial price, and then I'll make a counteroffer."

"Well, let's start with the price of four weeks of summer camp." She gave her daughter the amount and enjoyed the way her right eyebrow twitched.

"I can...what about a payment plan? Or I can get a loan." Moriko hugged her pillow tighter. "I bet Mitsuri and Obanai would give it to me. They don't want me to leave."

Sighing, Shinobu turned around, leaning Moriko's suitcase up right from where she had been pulling it behind her. For a moment, the two of them stared at each other, stubbornness warring against indomitable willpower. Shinobu brushed her hand over Moriko's hair, bringing her braid forward. She tightened the mint green butterfly bow that held the end of the braid. "You're going to have a wonderful time. You love nature." Gently, she took the pillow and strapped it to the top of the rolling suitcase.

"I like nature." Moriko blinked. "I hate mandatory fun and compulsory bonding."

"I'm taking that thesaurus of yours away," Shinobu said in a cheerful sing-song, though her smile was a tad forced. Moriko was so intelligent, sometimes to the point of being a smart aleck. Putting her hand on her shoulder, she steered her toward the stairs, winding them around other travelers. "You were excited about camp a few months ago."

"That's before I found out we were staying in cabins," Moriko said, "And that there are going to be campwide challenges. Like a reality TV show." She sighed, glancing back over her shoulder, expression borderline pitiful. "It's embarrassing."

"It'll be exciting," Shinobu countered "You might find it less painful than you expect."

"Only if they let me sit out when I want to."

Honestly, if Shinobu really thought that Moriko was going to be miserable the whole time, she would cancel the trip for her, but she hoped that she would actually enjoy the experience. It might even give her the chance to make some new friends. Moriko had a way of saying exactly what she was thinking and often other children didn't know what to make of her.

Who knew where she got that from...

"Look, I'll make this deal with you," Shinobu said as they walked, "Try it out for two weeks. If you absolutely can't stand it, call home and I'll come get you or someone else will."

"Uncle Sanemi would come get me the first day."

"Do not complain to your uncle," Shinobu said, rolling her eyes. "The camp wouldn't know what to do if he showed up in a bad mood." The instant Moriko said one thing about hating camp, Sanemi would go "rescue" her. For being so ferocious in other parts of his life, he was a softie when it came to his niece and his own kids.

Moriko put her hand in Shinobu's in a rare display of vulnerability. "You promise I could come home after two weeks?"

Shinobu squeezed her fingers. "I promise."

"Are you going to miss me?"

That brought her up short. She stopped so fast that Moriko was jerked slightly backward from where Shinobu had suddenly tightened her grip. Pulling her daughter to her, she hugged her tight. Moriko hesitated and then hugged her back. Her daughter wasn't the affectionate type, but she could survive a hug now and then.